The Official #22 Tennessee vs. #17 Alabama Game Thread, 6:00 PM ET, ESPN

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YankeeVol

YankeeVol

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#1
#22 Tennessee Volunteers: 20-8 (10-5 SEC)
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vs.

#17 Alabama Crimson Tide: 21-7 (11-4 SEC)
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GAME 29 | TENNESSEE vs. ALABAMA - Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026 | 6 p.m. ET | Knoxville, Tenn. | Food City Center (21,678)

Line: UT -4.5
O/U: 165.5

TV: ESPN / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen / Live Stats
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM 84 or 380 / Internet: SXM App
Online: WatchESPN.com

Alabama Game Notes

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#2
#2
THE MATCHUP
• Tennessee is 7-3 in the last 10 series meetings, since 3/4/17. It won the last five games after the Crimson Tide took the prior three.
• UT's five-game series winning streak is its third-best ever. It has won nine (1/6/68- 1/29/72) and eight (1/18/36 -2/11/38) in a row.
• Tennessee rallied from a 10-point deficit for a six-point road win in the sides' first meeting this year (1/24/26). In the last matchup in Knoxville (3/1/25), the Vols were down by nine with under 10:00 left, including by four with 0:31 to go, and won on a buzzer-beater.
• Eleven of the series' last 13 games, including nine of the past 10, had a single-digit scoring margin.
• UT has held Alabama to 70.9 ppg in nine outings during Nate Oats' tenure, conceding a high of 76. The Tide's is averaging 85.2 ppg in that span (85.8 versus non-UT foes).
• Coming off a 28-9 (13-5) showing with an Elite Eight bid last year, Alabama was picked fourth in the SEC preseason poll.
• Sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr., paces the Crimson Tide with 21.3 ppg, 4.8 apg and 1.2 spg.
 
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#3
#3
NEWS & NOTES
• Rick Barnes was as an assistant at Alabama in 1985-86. After his departure, current UT assistant Gregg Polinsky replaced him on staff, working there from 1986-95.
• Cade Phillips is a Jacksonville, Ala., native. His father (John David Phillips), uncle (Brodie Croyle) and grandfather (John Croyle) played football at Alabama, while his mother (Reagan [Croyle] Phillips) played basketball there.
• DeWayne Brown II is a Hoover, Ala., native who won three 7A state titles at Hoover High School.
• J.P. Estrella and Taylor Bol Bowen were Brewster Academy (N.H.) teammates as seniors in 2022-23.
• Rick Barnes' 856 wins co-lead all active DI coaches and rank coninth all-time (min. 10 years in DI).
• The Vols have played three games (2-1) this year that did not include a lead of 10-plus either way.
• Tennessee is 28-10 (.737) in the second leg of regular season home-and-homes over the last nine years (2017-26).
• Felix Okpara's next block will make him the 20th competitor to reach 100 as a Volunteer.
• Nate Ament is averaging 21.6 ppg the last 13 contests (16-plus in all).
• Tennessee is looking to reach 11- plus SEC wins for the fifth season in a row. It has done that just once previously, with a seven-year tally from 1970-71 to 1976-77.
• The Vols are also seeking 21-plus wins for the fifth straight year, which they have also done once before, from 2005-06 to 2009-10.
• UT's 45.0 offensive rebounding percentage is on pace to be, per KenPom, the third-best mark this century. It trails only 2000-01 Michigan State (47.0) and 2000- 01 Georgetown (45.3).
• Tennessee, Alabama and Houston are the only schools to make the last three Sweet 16s. Tennessee, Alabama and Duke are the only three in the last two Elite Eights.
• UT finished a program-best fifth in the AP Poll, Coaches Poll and KenPom in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
• The Volunteers' 221 wins the last nine years (2017-26) rank eighth in DI. Only Gonzaga (267), Houston (266), Duke (246), Kansas (233), Purdue (228), Saint Mary's (226) and Liberty (222) possess more.
 
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#4
#4
SERIOUS STREAKS
• The Volunteers own 20 wins for the fifth season in a row. That ties the longest streak in program history, previously recorded both from 1980-81 to 194-85 and 2005-06 to 2009-10. It is UT's seventh 20-win season in the last nine years and 32nd all-time.
• Tennessee has double-figure SEC victories for the sixth straight year. This is the second-longest streak in program history. The Vols had 10-plus SEC wins 13 seasons in a row from 1964-65 to 1976-77.

PARTICULARLY POTENT AT HOME
• Under Rick Barnes, Tennessee is 24-8 (.750) versus AP top-25 teams at Food City Center, including 19-2 (.905) in its last 21 such games (since 1/30/21).
• The Volunteers are 19-7 (.731) at home against AP top-20 teams in the Barnes era, including 15-2 (.882) in their last 17 such contests (since 1/30/21).
• Tennessee has a 16-5 (.762) mark when hosting AP top-15 squads under Barnes, including a 14-2 (.875) record in its last 16 such affairs (since 1/30/21).
• Barnes has led UT to a 9-1 (.900) ledger at home versus AP top-10 teams, with eight straight wins (since 3/2/19). That includes perfect marks against AP top-six foes (8-0) and versus SEC teams (7-0).
• Tennessee is a perfect 6-0 when hosting AP top-five teams in the Barnes era (all since 1/24/17). The six straight wins are an SEC record, per ESPN, surpassing the mark of five by Kentucky in 1978-84 and 1956-59.
• The Vols won 12 straight home games against AP top-25 foes from 1/30/21 to 2/28/24. That is an SEC record, per CBS Sports, and the longest in DI since Kansas had 17 straight from 1/11/14 to 2/13/17. Nine of those victories were versus top-15 foes, with five against the top 10 and three over top-five teams.
• Tennessee is 21-5 (.808) in AP top-25 home matchups under Barnes, including 15-5 (.750) with both teams in the top 20, 9-2 (.818) with both in the top 15 and 5-0 (1.000) with both in the top 10.
 
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#5
#5
CONTAINING THE CRIMSON TIDE
• Tennessee earned a 79-73 win at #17 Alabama on 1/24/26, rallying from a 10-point first-half deficit for a fifth straight series win. Nate Ament had a careerhigh 29 points and Ja'Kobi Gillespie added 24.
• UT has now beat Alabama five-plus times in a row thrice in program history. This is the first instance since a nine-game stretch from 1/6/68 to 1/29/72.
• In addition, Tennessee has held Alabama to 76 points or fewer in all nine meetings since Nate Oats took over as head coach in 2019-20, allowing just 70.9 points per game. As of 1/24/26, the teams' most recent meeting, the Crimson Tide was averaging 85.4 points per game against all other opponents during that seven-year stretch.
 
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#11
#11
I did react by saying Tennessee won’t make the March Madness Tournament after they collapsed in the second half vs Kentucky in Rocky Top.

Tennessee has flourished after that collapse to return as a ranked team.
I could be proven wrong about Tennessee not making the March Madness Tournament this year if Tennessee defeats red hot 17th ranked Alabama tonight along with succeeds with building a strong resume without any similar disappointments that they had vs Kentucky.
 
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#13
#13
firestorm said:
I did react by saying Tennessee won’t make the March Madness Tournament after they collapsed in the second half vs Kentucky in Rocky Top.

Tennessee has flourished after that collapse to return as a ranked team.
I could be proven wrong about Tennessee not making the March Madness Tournament this year if Tennessee defeats red hot 17th ranked Alabama tonight along with succeeds with building a strong resume without any similar disappointments that they had vs Kentucky.
Click to expand...
We don't have to win tonight to make the NCAA tournament. There has never really been any doubt the entire season that they would be able the tournament
 
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#20
#20
Hate to throw this out there, but I think in order to go on a serious run and be a true contender to go deep into the SEC and NCAAT, this is a must win at home. Win and highly increase your odds of a double bye and 5 seed NCAAT floor. Lose and we’re back in the middle of the pack
 
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#24
#24
Screw Alabama. Growing up in the 70s and being a huge. UT basketball fan, Alabama was a great program who was challenging for the SEC title every single year with Leon Douglas, Charles Cleveland, Wendell Hudson, T.R. Dunn and Reggie King. The King/Grunfeld cover came out the week after beating Alabama, and the article was largely about their victory against CM Newton's team
 
#25
#25
Howdy Fellow Volunteers! I won't lie, still pissed at how we played the last 36 minutes of the Missouri game but Nevertheless.... that is Behind us! I unfortunately now Live 38 miles from Tuscaloosa... KICK THESE IDIOTS ARSES PLEASE!
Thank you... Go Rocky Top!
 
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